The
flag of the United States Coast Guard is white with a dark blue Great
Seal of the United States. The shield on the eagle's breast has a
blue chief over vertical red and white stripes. Inscribed in an arc
above the eagle is "UNITED STATES COAST GUARD"; below the eagle is
the Coast Guard motto, "SEMPER PARATUS" ("Always Ready") and beneath
that the numerals 1790 the year in which the service's ancestor, the
U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, was founded.
The origins of the Coast Guard standard are obscure. It may have
evolved from an early jack. At least one contemporary painting supports
this theory. In this 1840 painting pictured above, the Revenue cutter
Alexander Hamilton flies a flag very similar to today’s Coast Guard
standard as a jack. This flag, like the union jack, which is the
upper corner of the United States flag, appears to be the canton
or upper corner of the Revenue cutter ensign. An illustration in
1917 shows the Coast Guard standard as a white flag with a blue
eagle and 13 stars in a semi-circle surrounding it. At a later date,
the words, "United States Coast Guard-- Semper Paratus" were added.
After 1950, the semi-circle of stars was changed to the circle containing
13 stars. The Coast Gurad is unique to the other services for they
have two official flags, the Coast Guard standard and the Coast
Guard ensign.
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